


Love is Consumption

by Kuroenamel



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst with a sad ending, Florence - Freeform, Hannibal fucked up, Italy, M/M, Sad Ending, Someone Help Will Graham, Tags May Change, Will fucked up, airbnb, inspired by a dream, mentions of cannibalism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:14:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24674422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuroenamel/pseuds/Kuroenamel
Summary: As an effort to grow closer to Hannibal, Will offers to be eaten by him. Of course, Hannibal agrees, but Will begins to have doubts.The timeline for the start of this story is unclear, but Will knows about Hannibal's murders, and has not yet seen Florence.Also, this really does not have a happy ending for either of them, so please be warned. :3
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 9
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well heck, I'm starting another multi-chapter work. The story has already been thoroughly plotted out, and the full storyline was actually inspired by a very vivid dream I had a few months ago. Like detail for detail, this is what my subconscious thinks of so prepare yourselves haha.

“Repeat that again for me, Will,” Hannibal had heard him clearly, he just wanted to hear it again. After a moment, Hannibal returned to sorting through some of his older drawings --- some he would put into storage, and some he would display.

“I-I want you to eat me . . . ?” Will stuttered. He phrased it as more of a question the second time around. He didn’t need to look at Hannibal to know he wore a smug smile.

“And I take it you’ve been thinking about this for a while,” Hannibal stated. “May I ask what brought it on?”

Will knew exactly what had brought it on --- he had been thinking about this for months and months until months felt like years. Despite all of the attention Hannibal had given him throughout their relationship, there had always been something missing. Will could never really figure out what.

When Will had first discovered Hannibal’s . . . tendencies, the first thing he felt was disgust and horror, among other things. After some time passed, Hannibal attempted to explain his actions to Will. Hannibal did not see the murder of human beings as Garret Jacob Hobbs saw them --- Hannibal saw them as animals; beings naturally meant to be slaughtered and consumed by those higher up on the food chain. Hannibal saw himself as powerful, and everyone else as weak. He was the apex predator.

It wasn’t as if Hannibal had not paid much attention to Will, it was that it never seemed to be the right type of attention. What Hannibal gave him was obsession, but it was from a distance. Hannibal never revealed to him anything that would give him a peek behind the curtain when the only thing Will wanted was to peek. Will knew that Hannibal was attached to him, but their relationship was never consistent, nor was it practical. Before Hannibal Lecter and Garret Jacob Hobbs, Will had been used to “normal” relationships, without the obsession, and without the murder. Just . . . love. Hannibal had warped that to his own advantage, forcing his idea of love to be Will’s “new normal.”

In the end, Will found himself relating more to Garret Jacob Hobbs than Hannibal Lecter. Hobbs saw to it that all of his victims were honored in the only way he knew how. Not one part of them would go to waste. And despite what Hannibal thought, that was the main drive behind Will’s sudden outburst that day.

Will turned his attention back to Hannibal. “Just-don’t question it.”

Hannibal raised a brow. “You know I can’t help but be a  _ little _ curious, Will.”

“Then save it,” Will turned to leave --- he hadn’t been prepared to discuss this any further, as stupid as it sounded.

“Will,” Hannibal called after him. Will only stopped. He could hear the grin in Hannibal’s voice as he spoke. “It would be my absolute pleasure to consume you.”

Will shuddered and stepped out of his office.

* * *

Will showed up the next day for another session, per his own request. Hannibal greeted him with a warm smile at the waiting room. “I must say, I was pleased to receive your call for another session, Will.”

“Yeah,” Will looked around his office as if he had never been inside. “We need to talk.”

“Indeed, we do,” Hannibal led him to his chair before sitting down himself. “I have given some more thought to our little arrangement, Will.”

“Oh?” Will asked.

“I get the impression that you would like this event to be special, am I wrong?” when Will didn’t reply, he took it as a yes. “Have you ever visited Florence, Italy, Will?”

“I haven’t.”

A smile crept up Hannibal’s features. “How would you like to go there? All expenses paid, of course.”

Will smiled back. “I’d love to. Where would we stay?”

“I’ve secured a house just for us, via Airbnb with enough space to do whatever we want. It’s on the nicer side of things.”

Will hummed. “Sounds great. How much is it per night?”

“Don’t worry about it, Will.”

Even though Hannibal could have very well used Will’s money to purchase the tickets and Airbnb considering that he would be dead within the next week and a half, he chose not to --- this was his gift to Will in exchange for what Will had chosen to give up to him.

“Now, would you like to tell me a little about what spurred our arrangement?” Hannibal asked.

Will avoided eye contact like his life depended on it. “It would please you,” he said, though it was more of a question.

“Yes, Will, it would. You are willing to give your life and body to me solely because it would please me?”

No, there were many more reasons --- so many more reasons, but in that moment, Will couldn’t bring himself to expose them to Hannibal. Besides the promise of death, Will tried to focus on the good things that would come out of this --- Hannibal would show Will Florence. They would visit art museums, drink expensive wine, and see the opera. All of this Hannibal had promised Will long ago when he first mentioned Florence, and he was not one to break his promises. They would share a house, even if only for a little while. For that little while, they would live together, and it would feel, even if for a moment, that it would never end. In the end, amongst many other things, that was all Will wanted.

There were two main things, amongst his plethora of reasons, that immediately came to mind: one, that this was all some poorly thought out effort to grow closer to him in any way possible; and two, that it would simply please Will to please Hannibal. But Will did not share either of those reasons, instead, saying with very little confidence, “Yes.”

“Hmm,” Hannibal said. “How do you feel about leaving in three days? You’ll have two days to get everything in order, and prepare.”

“I can do that,” Will said. It wasn’t as if anything mattered, anyways. He hadn’t asked, but he was sure that Hannibal had some form of cover story for Will’s sudden disappearance, and it was probably best for Will’s mental health that he didn’t hear it. All Will would do is leave a small note for Alana, telling her that he was going on a trip (though not including the details of whom he was going with), and asking her to take care of his dogs for a little while.

“Good,” Hannibal said. Will figured that Hannibal had no need to make himself disappear. “Three days it is.”

“Three days it is,” Will repeated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Hannibal travel to Italy, where Will's doubts continue to grow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kinda where shit hits the fan, so be warned. :3

All things considered, Will didn’t need to do much to prepare before leaving for Italy. He left his dogs a heaping pile of food, and multiple dishes of water, along with a note on the table for Alana. He didn’t bother saying anything to any of his co-workers. Hannibal stopped by once on the second day to make sure everything was in order before heading back to his house to prep for the week-and-a-half long trip.

Throughout the two days, Will felt the buzzing thrill of excitement, but it was never without the nagging fear of regret. As much as he pushed it down or told himself otherwise _(remember who suggested this in the first place)_ , it was always there, and it seemed as if it was there to stay. Will would never tell this to Hannibal.

 _Why?,_ he would always ask himself whenever that feeling of regret appeared. _Why would you feel regret for something like this?_ But most often, it was, _Why would you suggest something like this in the first place?_ Will knew that Hannibal loved him, whether that love was romantic or platonic, and though he would never admit it to Hannibal, Will loved him as well. He shouldn’t need this --- but he did.

Will remembered when the urge first overtook him. It was months before he managed to finally bring it up, and it sent all sorts of feelings and emotions throughout his body. At first, he had almost gagged at the idea of being eaten, but there was a sort of thrill to it --- an excitement. Against his best interest, Will chased the feeling, and fantasized about how Hannibal would do it, which part of Will he would choose to eat first, if Will would be _alive_ when he ate him, where they would do it . . .

It was as if he was a teenage girl plotting how she was going to lose her virginity.

And against everything he stood for, Will loved it. He loved the idea of being consumed whole, to be loved in a _completely_ different kind of way --- it was sublime. Will would spend almost every night thereafter chasing that fantasy and the feeling it brought with it, sinking deeper into his couch as he imagined Hannibal’s arms around him, engulfing him whole.

So, what had changed?

* * *

Hannibal arrived at Will’s house at exactly 6:30 in the morning on a Sunday. Will, who had barely slept the night before, brought his one small suitcase to Hannibal in the living room.

“I figured I wouldn’t need to pack much,” he shrugged.

Hannibal smiled, eyeing the small bottle of Chardonnay in Will's open suitcase. “I know a fine liquor store in Florence, Will.”

Despite the growing knot in his throat, Will smiled back.

* * *

For most of the plane ride, Hannibal stared out the window while Will tried to read. He felt a small pang at the thought that he had looked forward to a plane ride with Hannibal (sure, he had ridden a plane with him before, but these were different circumstances). Every now and then, he would catch Hannibal’s gaze drifting towards him, as if in thought, but it would carefully shift back as soon as he noticed Will staring.

After a while of silence, Hannibal spoke, “What would you like to see in Florence, Will?”

“A while ago, you promised you’d show me some of Italy’s fine art and music.”

“That promise still stands. Is there anything else you’d like to see?”

Will hummed. “Can’t think of anything right now. What are your favorites?”

“I plan to take you to, among other places, the _Palazzo Medici_ and _Uffizi Gallery_.”

Will smiled and sunk a little more into his seat.

* * *

After a few more hours, the plane landed. Hannibal directed them to a nearby car rental, where Hannibal rented an Audi. Hannibal drove them a few more hours before pulling up to a large, older building.

“This is where we’ll be staying,” Hannibal said.

Will’s eyes widened as he stepped inside. Everything inside and surrounding the house was detailed beautifully with pieces of art and sculptures, the furniture was finer than anything he’d ever seen, even beyond Hannibal’s house, and the walls were decorated with various paintings and sculptures.

“Hannibal, how much was this?” Will breathed.

“I told you, Will, don’t worry about it,” Hannibal stepped behind Will, placing a careful hand on his shoulder.

“This whole place looks like a museum.”

“As it should,” he said. “Only the finest for you, Will.”

 _So,_ Will thought. _t_ _his is where I’m going to die._

* * *

Over the next week, Hannibal took Will to various art museums, opera performances, as well as the _Palazzo Medici_ and _Uffizi Gallery_ as promised. Will never complained, and neither one spoke of what was to happen at the end of the week. Hannibal would buy the most expensive wines and foods, and serve them to Will. He had promised not to kill anyone else on their trip, and so far, he had kept that promise. That was their routine. And for a long while, Will was content.

Will’s death never had a set date, but he could feel his life’s clock ticking away until weeks became days, and days would soon become hours. On the night before his death, Will could feel it as well as Hannibal, yet neither of them spoke of it until they had settled down for dinner.

“Will,” Hannibal said. Will glanced up timidly. “The time has come.”

“Now?” Will said in a shaky voice.

“No --- tomorrow.”

So tomorrow would be his last day of life.

“Where will it happen?” Will asked.

“In the basement,” Hannibal said. “Don’t worry it’s perfectly clean, and I’ve already prepped it for you.”

 _For you_. That’s right. This was all happening for Will, no one else. It wasn’t just for Hannibal’s benefit, it was for Will’s as well. Death, love, and consumption was Hannibal’s gift to him.

“Would you like to see it?”

Will didn't say anything as Hannibal lead him downstairs to the basement. His right arm was loosely gripped by Hannibal as the man pulled him carefully down. Will felt the hesitation collect in his throat.

The basement space was not large, but it wasn’t too small. In the center sat a medical table with a sanitary sheet draped over it. To the right of the table was a silver metal tray holding various tools. Hannibal gripped Will a little tighter as he took in the sight.

“What do you think?” Hannibal asked Will softly.

Will couldn’t respond, voice and body paralized by shock. He nodded for Hannibal to lead him back upstairs.

As they walked away from Will’s own personal crime scene, he made his decision.

* * *

Will had made his decision, whether he liked it in that moment or not, he needed to leave. He needed to leave Florence, and would most likely need to leave America if Hannibal decided to come for him.

Will snuck out of the house as quietly as possible after Hannibal had fallen asleep, not bothering to bring anything with him except for his wallet and a clean change of clothes. Adrenaline surged through his veins, as he willed himself forward, out the door, and to the closest airport with planes to Virginia. He just barely had enough money to hop on the next plain with a direct flight close enough.

Throughout the ride, he shook with fear and excitement, trying to grasp the fact that his life would not end the next day if he could avoid Hannibal. Which, he faced, he probably couldn’t.

Will’s mind jumped from thought to thought. Maybe he could turn Hannibal in and put himself in protective custody. Maybe he could go to Jack or Alana. But that would involve telling them more than he wanted to. Either way, could he do it? Will had gone from weeks ago being ready to be eaten by Hannibal at any moment, to fighting to avoid his grasp. He felt stupid.

Will took a bus back to his house, his dogs greeting him cheerfully as he stepped through the door. He exhaled a shaky breath, panic overstimulating his body. But what was worse than the panic was the potent and unmistakable sense of guilt that flooded his system. By then, he should know what regret felt like --- he had been feeling it constantly for the past week and a half. Now, it was directed towards something else.

 _What have I done?_ Will asked himself, then immediately hit himself for thinking it. He had run from Hannibal with purpose, and now everything inside of him wanted to run _towards_ him and beg for forgiveness.

_Can’t live with him, can’t live without him._

He lost his chance.

Will makes up his mind not to leave America. If Hannibal wanted him after all of this, he should be more than entitled to him. It was in his hands now. And surely, Hannibal would come for him. If he didn’t, maybe Will could find him.

But until then, Will could do nothing but curl up into himself and continue searching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there are some of y'all out there who wanted to see Will eaten, and for those of you, I'm sorry. :3 
> 
> Also, like I mentioned, this story does not have a happy ending, but it does not end here!
> 
> If you'd like to see the inspiration and costs for the house that Hannibal rented, [this](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/812001?location=Florence%2C%20Italy&adults=2&check_in=2020-07-01&check_out=2020-07-10&source_impression_id=p3_1592015431_cVtkeq4ly4ae6qro&guests=1) is it. Also, [this](https://www.kbb.com/audi/tt/) is the car that Hannibal rented for himself and Will.
> 
> Hope you liked this one, lemme know your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years later, Will has been searching for Hannibal until finally, he finds him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two year time skip!

For the past two years, Will had been searching for Hannibal. He had no idea what he would do or say when he found him ---  _ if _ he ever found him. Will assumed Hannibal had moved somewhere outside of America or Italy. He would visit Florence frequently, often renting the house they had stayed at before. It was the only thing that made him feel like Hannibal wasn’t gone.

Every now and then, Will would catch a glimpse of something in his peripheral vision that resembled Hannibal, and every time, his heart would skip a beat, and his breathing would quicken until he realized it was all in his head.

He hadn’t hallucinated him once. It was almost as if Hannibal was controlling what was going on in his mind --- he wanted it this way ---- he wanted Will to be left with nothing, not even his hallucinations.

To Will, it seemed fair.

* * *

Apparently Alana hadn’t come across the note for her during his stay in Florence, and there had still been food for the dogs when Will arrived. She hadn’t said anything to him or Jack since then, and his relationship with his co-workers had barely changed at all.

No one mentioned Hannibal’s disappearance anymore. Everyone had recognized that Hannibal had picked up and left without notice, but Will figured that the FBI knew better than to bring it up with Will. The first time Hannibal’s name was mentioned since his return, Will had flinched and deflected the conversation to another topic. Eventually, his friends caught on and stopped bringing it up. Since technically, Hannibal hadn’t done anything against the law, no one looked into it beyond asking around.

Will had returned to the FBI the day before, after visiting Italy yet again in another half-hearted search for Hannibal. He had stayed at the same house they had stayed at, dined at the same table they had dined at, and visited the basement, where he would have died if he hadn’t ran.

God, why hadn't he ran?

“Let’s go for a drink,” Alanna said finally after a particularly stressful day. “I know a great bar in Wisconsin. Bit of a drive, but excellent cocktails.”

“Fine,” Will grunted. His eyelids had sagged from lack of sleep, and his features looked tired, physically as well as emotionally.

After work, they took Alana’s car to a small bar in the middle of nowhere to settle in for a drink. The drinks were true to Alana’s word, and had a slight kick at the end that Will didn’t get from the cheap whiskey he had been religiously downing since god knows when.

They chatted about things that Will didn’t care one bit about, but Alana seemed fully interested in, as his body drifted along with his mind. He was much too tired to care, and wanted nothing more than to retire to his dogs and warm bed and finish off the rest of whatever cheap drink he had in the pantry. Alana seemed more enthralled with what she was saying than with Will’s responses (or lack thereof), so he didn’t bother to correct himself.

Will’s attention drifted to a light laugh at his right. He turned slightly to see a young woman, bright and cheerful. She talked happily to her partner on the other end of the table with bubbly energy, yet polite mannerisms. She reminded him of Alana.

After the woman finished speaking, her partner chuckled.

“I completely agree, my dear,” he said.

Will’s heart stopped cold.

* * *

“I think I have to leave,” Will mumbled to Alana.

Alana seemed confused, but didn’t protest as Will ushered them both out of the building. She drove him home quickly before saying goodbye with a smile. Despite everything, he smiled back.

As soon as she was out of sight, Will jumped into his car and headed back to the bar. He hoped and prayed that Hannibal would still be there.

To his luck, Will spotted Hannibal and his partner quickly. He let out a sigh of simultaneous relief and terror.

It didn’t take long for the couple to leave. Will allowed them to get into their car without noticing him, and quickly did the same, following behind them as Hannibal drove.

Hannibal pulled the car up to a small yet seemingly fancy house in the middle of Wisconsin. He exited the car, helping his partner out, and they both entered the house and locked the door. It was now dark.

Will waited patiently until 12:00 when he thought they would both be asleep, and approached the front door. From the outside, the house didn’t appear to have any security systems. He pulled out two small pins and picked the lock with ease. Opening the door slowly, he found that there were not, in fact, any security systems.

Will entered the house with a sharp sense of panic. The feeling was akin to the one that he felt when he left Hannibal in Florence.

On the first floor was a kitchen, living room, and dining room, but nothing else, so Will ventured upstairs. The steps were quiet. When Will approached the second floor, he found two doors on his right and one on the left. He tried one on the right --- bathroom. He tried the other one, opening it carefully and silently to reveal the main bedroom. Will covered his mouth with a hand, tiptoeing into the room until he came to the right side of the bed, where Hannibal slept.

Quickly, Will covered Hannibal’s mouth with a hand, sighing quietly at the touch. Hannibal jolted awake but knew better than to cry out.

“Don’t make a sound,” Will whispered. He gestured to Hannibal’s partner on the other end. “Or I’ll kill her.”

Hannibal nodded, and for a moment, Will found the moment bizarre as Hannibal acted so obedient.

Will led them both outside and to the garden before uncovering his mouth.

“Hello, Will,” Hannibal said calmly.

“Hello, Dr. Lecter.”

“Tell me, how have you been?”

“Like shit,” Will said. His stare was cold underneath the moonlight. Hannibal frowned.

“You know, Will, you have no place acting that way considering what you did back in Florence.”

“I made a mistake,” Will breathed as his resolve broke. He didn’t mean to admit it so easily, but he felt as if Hannibal could leave his sight at any moment.

“Is that what you think?”

“Yes,” Will said. “I want to try again,” he hated how desperate he sounded.

Hannibal chuckled. A sudden sense of warmth and dread flooded Will’s system. “You came to me, I’m sure, knowing what my response would be.”

“I needed to see you,” Will rasped. His body felt weaker by the moment. “I needed to hear your voice. Please.”

“You’ve been terribly rude, Will. You have performed for me the worst act of betrayal anyone could think of, and yet here you are, asking for forgiveness. Do you think I will forgive you Will?”

“Please,” was all he could say. Will shrunk under his gaze.

“No,” Hannibal said coldly. “You knew what you were doing in Florence, and yet, you betrayed my trust. There is no going back from that Will,” Will shrunk even further. “I let you into my world, and you cast it aside. I would be stupid to let you back in.”

Will didn’t say anything, only shook, so Hannibal continued.

“You made your choice in Florence. You left me there. Now, it’s time for you to leave again.”

“No,” Will choked as tears flowed freely from his eyes. He was gasping now, a mess, but Hannibal’s face never changed. “I can’t-not again- _ please. _ ”

“I have a wife, Will. You are no longer a part of my life, as well as I am no longer a part of yours. You need to accept that.”

“I  _ can’t _ .”

“You can. And you will.”

Will shook his head, gasping for breath as more tears rolled down his face.

“You may catch glimpses of me now and again, but you will never speak to me,  _ especially _ in front of my wife. You have lost that privilege.

“I can earn it back,” Will wailed. He was starting to look like a child.

Hannibal cupped his face with both hands, and for a moment, Will thought he would take him back. “You’ve broken my heart, Will. And now, it’s time for me to break yours.”

Will moaned with grief. “I’ll do it-I’ll be eaten,  _ consumed _ , anything,  _ please _ .”

Hannibal released him. “You have lost your chance, Will. You lost it two years ago. It’s time to move on. Now,” Hannibal stood a little straighter as Will sunk down further. “leave my property.”

Will forced himself to stand, knowing there was no possible way he could convince Hannibal to take him back. When he stood tall enough, Hannibal stepped towards him, cupping his face again, and placed a small, delicate kiss to his forehead. Will wept silently.

“Goodbye, Will.”

Will shook. He looked at Hannibal one last time, taking in as many features as possible before forcing himself to speak. He would regret it unfathomably later if he didn’t.

“Goodbye, Hannibal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter pained me to write!! Oof.
> 
> I told y'all, this one doesn't really have a happy ending. :'3
> 
> I am very interested to hear what you thought, so please let me know!
> 
> And thank you so much for reading, seriously! :3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated! :)


End file.
